Turkey roasting time for today's Thanksgiving dinner?

[casey30]

Hi

I usually cook my stuffed 20 - 22 lb turkey at 325 for about 5 1/2 hours. I buy a fresh one and it always comes out beautifully.

This year's 19 pounder is going to be unstuffed, and I don't know what to do about the timing. I've read anywhere from 5 - 10 minutes less per pound, which would take about 1 1/2 hours off.

Does 4 hours for a 19 pound turkey sound reasonable?

Also, I've been advised to cut a couple of onions and some celery and put that in the cavity.

Any ideas on this would be helpful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[wyogal]

Go by the chart for an approximate time, and then fine tune with the thermometer to make sure it's up to temp. I also like to use an orange along with onion and celery in the cavity.
Have a wonderful day!

[casey30]

Sorry, irrelevant.

[jameshig]

This question is irrelevent if you use a thermometer in the deepest part of the breast and pull it out when it hits 160.

[casey30]

Irrevelant??? I don't even know what to say to that - clearly it needs to get to temperature, I was wondering generally how long.

Thanks to blue room, todao and honeybee03 for your more thoughtful replies.

[honeybee03]

here's a guide that I'm using today:

http://www.the-perfect-turkey.com/how...

[todao]

Interior temperature is more important than cooking time but here's something that will put you in the ball park:

http://homecooking.about.com/library/...

[blue room]

I've never had the plesure of cooking anything bigger than 11-12 pounds or so, but I do know that celery and onion ( a little sliced apple too) in a unstuffed bird makes the juices nice and flavorful for the gravy.